Various Settings on the ReliefBand

EDITOR'S NOTE: Several months ago, I received a press release from Woodside Biomedical Company in California introducing a new product called ReliefBand to the fishing market. Woodside claimed that this device had the ability to stop the nausea and discomfort associated with seasickness. Although extremely skeptical, I tried it on my next fishing trip.

During a week-long period in the summer of 2000, I fished with three different groups of people in the Gulf of Mexico and tested the ReliefBand on five different individuals. I found that every one of them recovered from his or her seasickness within 20 minutes of using it. On another trip several months later again at the Gulf of Mexico, eight people on our boat became sick. Five of the eight had their symptoms relieved by wearing the ReliefBand.

To learn what makes this watch-like pulsating device stop seasickness for 80 to 85 percent of the people who try it, I interviewed Dan Rutledge of Sugarland, Texas, the vice president of corporate sales for Woodside Biomedical.

Question: How many settings does the ReliefBand have?

Answer: Because the ReliefBand has five settings, the user can customize the product. Since everyone's body chemistry is different, the lower settings will give some people relief while others may require the higher settings before they find relief.

Question: What's the origin of the ReliefBand?

Answer: The ReliefBand originated in the medical world as a prescription medical therapy, used by patients taking chemotherapy, pregnant women experiencing the severe nausea associated with morning sickness and also with post-anesthetic patients.

Question: How is the over-the-counter ReliefBand used today?

Answer: Most people who purchase the ReliefBand over the counter use the device when they feel the effects of motion sickness -- air sickness, car sickness and/or sickness associated with amusement rides.

JOHN'S NOTE: The wife of a friend of mine has horrible morning sickness that lasts every day, all day long, when she's pregnant. She often has to spend months in the hospital while pregnant, hooked up to IVs, trying to keep each pregnancy viable and hold down enough food for the baby to grow. Her husband went to ReliefBand's website a couple of weeks ago as she's been throwing-up sick every day for three months now and ordered her a ReliefBand, next day's service. She was vomiting and had the dry heaves when the ReliefBand arrived at their house. As soon as she put it on, she's not vomited since. She's also been able to get out of bed and go about her daily chores at home and taking their little boy to school. As my friend told me, "We've got our lives back."

To learn more about the ReliefBand, write to Woodside Biomedical at 1915 Aston Avenue, Carlsbad, California 92008, (760) 804-6900, or visit the company's webpage at www.reliefband.com.

Tomorrow: How Many People The ReliefBand Helps